


The Forest

by allopen (al_hazel)



Category: Legend of the Seeker
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-21
Updated: 2009-12-21
Packaged: 2017-10-04 21:14:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/al_hazel/pseuds/allopen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the midst of their quest to defeat the Keeper of the Underworld, there are some questions raised.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Forest

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sakana17](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sakana17/gifts).



> Spoilers for Legend of the Seeker 2.06.

The party of four walk forward in the empty field, when Cara spots a familiar view ahead of her.

She turns to Zedd, and asks, "The compass, it doesn't always have to lead us to the Stone of Tears, right? It could lead us somewhere else?"

"Like the Minders, you mean? Maybe. But, why the sudden question?" Zedd asks.

"Well, it seems like we are headed towards the infamous Forest. I recognize the path."

Zedd's eyes widen slightly, glancing about, as did Kahlan. Then he nods.

"Ah, yes, I have suspected this for a while," he says, "and you have confirmed that they aren't the fears of a paranoid, old man. But,

I'm not surprised that we would be put through such a quest. It is, perhaps, to test the will of those who seek the Stone of Tears."

"There is no doubt that the Forest will test Richard and his resolve," Kahlan says. "But, how will it guide him, as the compass has promised to do?"

"The compass' magic is quite beyond my comprehension, but we need do what it deems necessary, so that we can get to the Stone of Tears quickly. Banelings are rising even as we speak. We must stop the Keeper, and soon," Zedd says.

"What is the Forest? And why is it infamous?" Richard asks questioningly.

Cara and Kahlan turns to look at him, half puzzled, half incredulous. Zedd simply chuckles at their reaction.

"Sometimes, Richard, I forget that you weren't a child of the Midlands, especially after the amount of time you have spent here, the things you have seen and heard on this side of the boundary," Zedd says.

He begins the tale, saying, "The Forest is a legend, or perhaps a rumour. Young children are told, that should they disobey their parents, they would be left at the Forest, to be picked up only a day later."

"Every account of the Forest is different, sometimes of fear, of grief, and rarely, of joy. It is said that the Forest has a magic of its own. Some have even speculated it to be of another world," Kahlan says.

"It is no childish rumor, though," Cara says, "I have seen it with my own eyes, spent time in it."

"I know of its existence as well," Zedd says.

"Like Cara, I have entered it," Kahlan says. She turns to Cara and continues, "Presumably, for the same reason?"

Cara nods.

"What is that?" Richard asks.

"Training. Both Confessors and MordSith are called to be able to put away their personal feelings in order to survive at critical moments. The Forest has trained us to do so."

"Well, the both of you survived. I _would_ like to hear more of your experience so that we may be prepared, but I see no reason why we shouldn't continue."

"I didn't point this out to stop you, but merely as a warning," Cara says.

"I do appreciate that, Cara, and we would be grateful if you _would_ be willing to share more with us."

"Of course. Anything the Lord Rahl commands."

\--

Cara had entered the forest alone, knowing that her test has already begun. At that time, she couldn't quite fathom what could grieve her, or scare her, especially after all the training she had been through.

She didn't know herself well back then.

The illusion of a happy life, and then the swift loss of that boundless joy. Her family, slaughtered by thieves. The final realization, that none of it was even real, neither the joy nor the pain. Her father remained a backstabbing son-of-a-bitch, and her sister and mom were lost to her.

It had wrecked her, and her fellow MordSith sisters pieced her back together, bit by bit, just the way they wanted her to be.

She swore never to be vulnerable again.

To this day, she kept her promise.

\--

Both Kahlan and Zedd offer her words of comfort after her account, but it is Richard who looks at her with understanding eyes.

He has gone through the same experience as she had. Ripped away from his family, he can all too clear understand the desperate longing   
for that simple life, again. To feel lost, trapped and bound to a path that has already been ordained, is something they both cannot escape from.But, the fact remains that they have been forever changed by their experience, she a MordSith and he the Seeker. The simple life is no longer for them.

Perhaps that is why she is willing to follow him. Because he understands, like her sisters did.

\--

Kahlan had entered the Forest with her peers, other Confessors-to-be. She has seen a world at her command, her unchallenged authority and the world according to her will. There were many who called her and her sisters 'Mistress', obeying their every word and subservient to them in every way.

She felt powerful then. But had yet to truly understand what power was. .

The joy of being able to use her power overwhelmed her, and she had enslaved many to herself. Those who were convicted of a crime, who had no home to return to, she took them in.

Then the enemy came. She never knew who they were, only that they had to be defeated. She gathered the Confessed around her, watching as they entered the field. The numbers grew as they waited. Finally, when all were gathered, the sight before Kahlan horrified her. What she vividly remembered, and continued to haunt her even years later, were the eyes. The thousands of soulless eyes looking up to the group of young woman. The expression in every eye was eager, ready to please.

Their desperation to please their 'Mistress' was evident in the way they stood. Even as Kahlan and her peers stood elevated, and they stood below, their hands were always clamoring upwards. Their bodies always half-bowed, in deference to the ones who own their lives.

Kahlan knew that if she, or any of her peers, were to give a simple command to fight, all the Confessed would do so immediately.   
The magnitude of her ability, and her responsibility, struck her then. She knew what she must do.

She, along with some of her peers, decided to lead in the battle. Even though she wasn't much of a fighter then, she still chose to do so. In the midst of the chaotic battle, she gave up her life to save one of her Confessed, and was thrown out of the Forest's spell.

She never treated her ability the same way again.

Not every one of her peers had passed the test. For having escaped from that snare of magic, she was thankful. Th ough it could be labeled weird to have gratitude for the Forest, she had it to thank even more, for learning an invaluable lesson.

Her path became straight thereafter. To lead was to serve. And to serve well, was to not abuse her power. So she learnt to fight, refusing to depend solely on her Confessor ability.

\--

She didn't share everything with them, of course. Just the facts, and the lessons it taught her.

But she realizes that she didn't have to share everything, for them to understand her experience. Both Zedd and Richard clearly understand the consequences of misusing power, and even Cara is able to empathise.

None of them said much after that.

The Forest is just ahead of them, and the compass didn't seem to be changing its direction soon.

As much as Kahlan hates that the Forest never fails to remind her of her darker side, she knows, like Richard and Cara have, she will have to face it one day. It is her choice whether to embrace it or not, similar to her choice in the unyielding belief that Richard will always choose to do the right thing.

Kahlan doesn't make decisions lightly, and when she is decided, she follows through wholeheartedly.

She has chosen to be the Mother Confessor, chosen to accompany the Seeker on his quest, chosen to find the Stone of Tears, chosen to stay by the side of the man she loves.

She has chosen, and she will follow through. She knows that she can be stronger than her fears, and this is the chance to prove it to herself.

With the Seeker and his quest, she will follow.

\--

They rarely get to walk into a situation, rather than stumble upon one, so Richard feels the need to strategize.

"I don't see how we can," Cara says. "We cannot predict what the Forest will do."

Richard nods, immediately seeing the flaw in his impulse. He looks at them, Cara's flippant attitude, Kahlan's uncertainty and Zedd's resolve. He trusts them; knows that they have his back.

He strides, into the Forest, not looking back. They are with him.

\--

It feels like it's been hours since they entered the Forest. The smell of the woods and grass cling to their skin, and they have stopped halting at every sound or movement.

Then, right before them, it appears.

Richard wondered why he did not spot it before, for it is obvious that the village is in danger and smoke is rising out of several huts. The stench of blood and corpses grows stronger as they run closer.

It was Richard who first spots the perpetrator, seeing him callously butcher those who had fallen on the ground. There is a man on the ground who is defenseless, while the young man above him raises an axe and sends it straight to his heart. The young man pulls out the blood-soaked axe, and looks up.

He spots Richard, striding towards him with a clear purpose, axe once again raised.

Richard's sword was already at his side, so he runs towards the young man, with momentum and speed to his advantage.

He dodges the deadly swipe of the axe, and delivers a fatal blow to the young man's head. He watches as the young man sink to the ground. Taking a step back, he hopes to regroup with the others and make sense of this sudden turn of events.

Glancing down, Richard sees the fingers on the axe twitch, and he suddenly realizes what he is dealing with.

"Zedd!" He calls out, backing away from the reanimated body.

A blast of cool air and pure power rushes past him, and he sees the body before him completely frozen. Without hesitation, he strikes at it and watches as it shatters.

He turns to Zedd, slightly out of breath, and says, "They are –"

"Banelings, yes," Zedd continues.

Richard turns to his right, to see Kahlan helping a fallen woman up, and Cara watching out for more of the creatures.

"We should speak with the villagers," Zedd says.

As Richard turns towards Kahlan and Cara, he hears a small voice asking, "Is - is that the Sword of Truth? Are you the Seeker?"

Hiding behind a door not far away was a young boy. Richard smiles and says, "Yes, it is. And yes, I am."

The boy flinches at his answer, but didn't do much else. Richard begins to suspect that he may be one of the Banelings, when the woman that Kahlan had been helping stumbles over and picks him up.

"Oh, Tristan, you're all right! My brave little boy!"

The boy buries his head in his mother's chest, and allows her to fawn over him, while the four of them look on at the loving reunion.

Then he lifts his finger to point at Richard, and says quietly, "He is the Seeker."

The mother quickly becomes silent, turning her gaze on Richard. She seems to assess him and his companions, before saying, "I think you better come with me."

Richard nods, wanting to know about this village and their strange reaction to the Seeker.

She gestures for him to follow her, as she exits the destroyed hut. Richard glances at the three who were standing around him, and sees that they too are curious, but cautious, about this place.

He follows her, wanting some answers.

\--

Richard has an uneasy feeling that the woman had brought the four of them the long way about the village, giving them ample opportunity to observe the destruction that has been wrought on this village. What her purpose is, Richard does not know.

She finally stops in front of a house that has been carefully maintained, and looks to be the only place that has endured all the violence and not succumbed to it.

"This way, please," she beckons, as she opens the door for them.

The entire interior is flooded with sunlight, and a long table is set before them. Seated at the table are four people, a balance of two men and two women.

For one crazy insane moment, Richard has the thought that, perhaps, it is the four of them, Richard, Kahlan, Zedd and Cara, seated at that table.

Richard shakes the thought off. He looks at them again, and they look nothing like his friends. One of the men, seated second from the right, says, "Thank you, Seeker, for coming to our aid. We are grateful for it."

"Please, do call me Richard. And these are Kahlan, Zedd and Cara," Richard says, gesturing to each of them.

The woman, seated on the far left, gives a mysterious smile at Richard's introduction.

A moment of silence passed. Then Richard asks, "You wish to speak to us?"

"Speak to you, yes," The man on the far right said. "I wonder. Would you be open to listen to our advice?"

"Who are you, and why should we be listening to you?"

All four of them smiled and there was a chuckle or two at Cara's outburst. Richard was surprised. There are a rare few who do not take the questions of a MordSith seriously.

"I am Roland," says the man, second from the right. "And this is Katherine," he says, gesturing to the quiet woman seated beside him.

"Will you listen to our advice, Richard?" Roland continues.

Richard nods, wanting to hear what they have to say.

"Do not continue with your quest. Let it end here."

"Why?" Richard asks, before he could stop the question.

"This town," the unnamed man gestures, "is a result of your endless questing to bring down the Keeper. This world will be no better, should you choose to continue in your quest."

The blood, the smoke. The pain, the suffering. The loss, the dead. Richard has seen it all, but never at one single place, concentrated in this town.

Being the Seeker is never about the easy choice, Richard knows that. He has always tried to do what is right.

But now, how does he define right? How much death and destruction is it worth, to be right?

"Give up your quest, and take up your rightful position as Lord Rahl. Your men can cover the land that you cannot, offer the aid that you cannot afford to give," the unnamed woman on the far left says.

"Stop!" Kahlan says, and turns to Katherine, asking, "Don't you have anything to say?"

"Do what is right," Katherine offers, "and remember the reason you became the Seeker. Remember your path."

Katherine smiled slightly after her words, and Richard ponders on them. What was his reason, what was his path? Where is he headed?

And it all comes back to him.

At that moment of comprehension, he is tugged forward, travelling far too fast for his eyes to see.

\--

He lands in an empty field, Kahlan, Cara and Zedd with him.

Apparently, the Forest had done its work.

But what was its intention? And were the four women and men who Richard suspected them to be?

"They were us, weren't they?" Cara asks. "Except that they had been broken. I know myself. There is no way I would sit in a chair all day, and offer stupid advice, unless I have truly been defeated."

"They were," Zedd says. "I wanted to warn you, Richard, but the Forest's magic kept me from speaking. I knew my own magic, and could clearly see the glamour that had been placed on all four of us."

"But what was its purpose, what lessons was it meant to teach?" Kahlan asks.

"Perhaps, sometimes, the Forest does not offer answers, only questions," Zedd says, as he looks at Richard.

Richard looks at them, sees that the brief experience has changed them more than their calm, rational words suggest.

Richard realizes that they have all gleaned something from this experience, but only his had been the most obvious. The questions and choices that have been posted to him, he knows that they'll keep him awake tonight.

As the four of them stood up and began to move in the direction that the compass points to, Richard knows that the repercussions of this experience will unravel in its own time.

But for now, he has some questions he has to answer.

_What is right, and how much does it cost? Is the truth really worth it?_

Richard glances at those who stand beside him, walking the same path that he is.

_Remember the reason_, remember your path. Perhaps that is a clue, or a guide, to answering his question.

Richard always knew Kahlan gives good advice.


End file.
